July 4th

"I see him, but not now;
   I behold him, 

   but not near -- " Numbers 24:17a

help us to see you,
not in those well-known
and well-heeled superstars
on the pitch,
but in those who
sweep up the litter
after the match
whose names are lost;
not in those who
gather around arenas
and national lawns
to idolize those who
are so full of themselves,
but in those who
are dropping off food
to the homeless
and the forgotten;
not in the privileged
at the resorts and spas
on the beach,
but in those
who make the beds,
empty the bins
and clean the toilets.

(c) 2026 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

July 3rd

“it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God,” Romans 8:16

we don’t hear her
in the loudest voices,
for the Spirit uses the cracks
in our fretful hearts to slip through
to sit with the forgotten,
walk with those full of questions,
whispering to the frightened:
‘Beloved, you have always been
God’s own.’
and all those protecting walls
turn into open doors to strangers,
our clenched hands awaken
to that buried memory of being blessings,
our sore, sore feet find the courage
to keep following Love,
just one more time.
for in a world which would
stick a label on everyone,
the Spirit knows that name
given to us long, long ago:
children of God’s heart.
and so, may that witness
be what we carry into
every broken
every beautiful
every given day.

(c) 2026 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

July 2nd

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1

therefore,
may we stop
sending others
to some sort of imaginary
extended time out corner;
beating ourselves up
until our souls turn
every shade of yellow,
purple, and green;
tattooing XXL scarlet

 ‘A’s on our hearts;
shutting ourselves into
guilt’s crowded closet
and throwing away the key;
firing everyone from
being our own worst critic
because we have been
honing that skill
all of our lives;
now

© 2026 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

July 1st

“How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the LORD has not denounced?” Numbers 23:8

how easy it is
to reach into our pockets
and grab a handful of snark
to throw up against the screen
when we see THAT politician,
person, outsider, whoever
who just ruins our moments.
how simple it seems
to pick up some of
the hate, the prejudice,
the cruelty which has fallen
on the ground from the mouths
of all the haters, the bitter hearts,
those pettifoggers who cannot see,
hear, or accept that any good comes
from someone they cannot stand.
and how difficult, apparently,
for us to see each and every person
as made in your image,
a beloved sibling of ours.

© 2026 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

June 30th

"In God, whose word I praise,
   in God I trust; I am not afraid;
what can flesh do to me?" Psalm 56:4

my once smooth skin
now is a patchwork
of wrinkles and age spots
and under a doctor's care.
my muscles no longer
impress anyone but flap
loose under my arms.
my luxuriant hair is
fading, thinning, disappearing,
oops, completely gone.
my once sharp as a
tack mind seems to be
duller and duller at times.
yet
i continue to trust
that you love me more
today than yesterday
and will be in love
even more tomorrow.

© Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

June 29th

"He will send from heaven and save me,
   he will put to shame those who trample on me.
God will send forth his steadfast love
   and his faithfulness." Psalm 57:3

when i want to hide under
the covers because it is just
so scary out there, send
those little birds who will sing
glad songs of hope.
when i need to go through
more physical therapy
because the knuckleheads
just refuse to stop pummeling
me with the bitter words, send
those gentle hands which
will ease the tight muscles
of my soul.
when it seems that i am
the only one who sees that
little glimmer of hope
there in the eye of the old
folks who everyone discounts
simply because, well because
they are old, may i not turn
away but learn from those
faithful, not-so-ancient-as-we-think
lives.

© Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman

June 28th

"The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands," Acts 17:24

the multi-campus
congregation,
the high tech
sanctuaries,
the capital campaign
to build the
office complex
for expanded staff.
remind us where
we will find you—
in the hearts
of those who
refuse to build walls;
in the hands
of servers in
shelters and kitchens;
in the feet
of marchers for
human rights;
in the voices
of advocates
for justice;
in the lives
of those who see
you
in every person
they meet.

© Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman